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Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, And Symbolic Variation in the History of Life
Ideas about heredity and evolution are undergoing a revolutionary change. New findings in molecular biology challenge the gene-centered version of Darwinian theory according to which adaptation occurs only through natural selection of chance DNA variations. In Evolution in Four Dimensions , Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb argue that there is more to heredity than genes. They trace four "dimensions" in evolution -- four inheritance systems that play a role in genetic, epigenetic (or non-DNA cellular transmission of traits), behavioral, and symbolic (transmission through language and other forms of symbolic communication). These systems, they argue, can all provide variations on which natural selection can act. Evolution in Four Dimensions offers a richer, more complex view of evolution than the gene-based, one-dimensional view held by many today. The new synthesis advanced by Jablonka and Lamb makes clear that induced and acquired changes also play a role in evolution. After discussing each of the four inheritance systems in detail, Jablonka and Lamb "put Humpty Dumpty together again" by showing how all of these systems interact. They consider how each may have originated and guided evolutionary history and they discuss the social and philosophical implications of the four-dimensional view of evolution. Each chapter ends with a dialogue in which the authors engage the contrarieties of the fictional (and skeptical) "I.M.," or Ifcha Mistabra -- Aramaic for "the opposite conjecture" -- refining their arguments against I.M.'s vigorous counterarguments. The lucid and accessible text is accompanied by artist-physician Anna Zeligowski's lively drawings, which humorously and effectively illustrate the authors' points.
462 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 10, 2019
GREAT BOOK!!!!!
I haven’t been this inspired by a book in a long time.
Setting aside the content for a moment. The book is really well done. It’s more than well written. It’s well designed.
In addition to being brilliant theoreticians and scientists, Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb are incredibly creative and effective science educators.
They use didactic, dialectic, metaphor and illustration to great effect and the outcome is quirky, charming and compelling.
They apparently had to be brilliantly persuasive...because...Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb are...wait for it...promoting a...hear me out...Neo-Lamarckien theory.
Cue the needle dragging across the record sound.
I know right?
For those of y’all who are unfamiliar, Lamarckism (or soft inheritance), is the WAY WAY WAY WAY EXTREMELY discredited hypothesis that organisms pass on characteristics acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.
Lamarckism is the epistemic engine of the famous ‘just so stories’ of Rudyard Kipling e.g. Mr. Elephant (🐘) got his long nose because Mr. Alligator (🐊) grabbed it and stretched it out.
Anyway.
I’m not trained enough to deeply understand the arguments for and against the different schools of thought in evolutionary theory.
But I do know that admitting you’re a Lamarckiean is about as uncool as it gets. Like Crock’s N’ Socks level.
I think it was Voltaire who said; ‘modernity means that if one of your friends caught you praying, you would be embarrassed’.
I’m pretty sure you’d rather be caught praying than agreeing with Lamarck.
Anyway.
Jablonka and Lamb are out loud and proud Neo-Lamarckiens (I guess you’d say).
And gosh darned if they haven’t converted me too, or at least made me a little more Lamarcurious 🤔.
Allow me to explain.
The idea isn’t actually as outlandish as it sounds. They posit that evolution occurs at multiple levels. 1. Genetic, 2. Epigenetic, 3. Behavioral and 4. Cultural.
The essential idea is, evolutionary processes become increasingly Lamarkiean as you ascend from 1-4.
I’m somewhere between unable and unwilling to further summarize their arguments.
But suffice it to say.
Even if you’re gagging (in the bad way) on the L word (not the good one), don’t knock it before you try it.
The book is (as previously mentioned) super fuckin’ well done, and specifically designed with skeptics in mind.
So pretend like it’s college all over again and experiment. Get a little outside of your comfort zone. Try something new!
Who knows?
You might discover something about yourself.
Mom, Dad....I have something to tell you......I’m a Neo-Lamarkiean.
NOTE: The book is probably too technical to be useful or interesting to a general audience, so you may want to skip it, unless you’re REALLY REALLY REALLY curious, and in that case, by all means.
FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ AND A DOUBLE EVO-DEVO RAINBOW🌈����
I haven’t been this inspired by a book in a long time.
Setting aside the content for a moment. The book is really well done. It’s more than well written. It’s well designed.
In addition to being brilliant theoreticians and scientists, Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb are incredibly creative and effective science educators.
They use didactic, dialectic, metaphor and illustration to great effect and the outcome is quirky, charming and compelling.
They apparently had to be brilliantly persuasive...because...Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb are...wait for it...promoting a...hear me out...Neo-Lamarckien theory.
Cue the needle dragging across the record sound.
I know right?
For those of y’all who are unfamiliar, Lamarckism (or soft inheritance), is the WAY WAY WAY WAY EXTREMELY discredited hypothesis that organisms pass on characteristics acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.
Lamarckism is the epistemic engine of the famous ‘just so stories’ of Rudyard Kipling e.g. Mr. Elephant (🐘) got his long nose because Mr. Alligator (🐊) grabbed it and stretched it out.
Anyway.
I’m not trained enough to deeply understand the arguments for and against the different schools of thought in evolutionary theory.
But I do know that admitting you’re a Lamarckiean is about as uncool as it gets. Like Crock’s N’ Socks level.
I think it was Voltaire who said; ‘modernity means that if one of your friends caught you praying, you would be embarrassed’.
I’m pretty sure you’d rather be caught praying than agreeing with Lamarck.
Anyway.
Jablonka and Lamb are out loud and proud Neo-Lamarckiens (I guess you’d say).
And gosh darned if they haven’t converted me too, or at least made me a little more Lamarcurious 🤔.
Allow me to explain.
The idea isn’t actually as outlandish as it sounds. They posit that evolution occurs at multiple levels. 1. Genetic, 2. Epigenetic, 3. Behavioral and 4. Cultural.
The essential idea is, evolutionary processes become increasingly Lamarkiean as you ascend from 1-4.
I’m somewhere between unable and unwilling to further summarize their arguments.
But suffice it to say.
Even if you’re gagging (in the bad way) on the L word (not the good one), don’t knock it before you try it.
The book is (as previously mentioned) super fuckin’ well done, and specifically designed with skeptics in mind.
So pretend like it’s college all over again and experiment. Get a little outside of your comfort zone. Try something new!
Who knows?
You might discover something about yourself.
Mom, Dad....I have something to tell you......I’m a Neo-Lamarkiean.
NOTE: The book is probably too technical to be useful or interesting to a general audience, so you may want to skip it, unless you’re REALLY REALLY REALLY curious, and in that case, by all means.
FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ AND A DOUBLE EVO-DEVO RAINBOW🌈����
May 29, 2010
This is indeed, a very good book. Well written, well organized, and...quite a difficult book to read through. There is something about the style--it is a rather academic style, and some of the earlier chapters are quite dense--makes it tough reading.
Also, I didn't find the title to be quite accurate--it seems like it should be something like "Heredity in Four Dimensions". The reason is that the main theme of the book is how organisms inherit various traits; it is only indirectly about evolution.
But, having read the book, I understand a lot more about inheritance. I was always a bit perplexed by people saying that 95% of our genes are in common with apes, and so on. If so, why are we so different from them? Having read this book, it is clear that epigenetics is largely responsible. Another question that has always bugged me, is why birds of a species all have similar bird songs. This book, again, answers questions like this.
Also, I didn't find the title to be quite accurate--it seems like it should be something like "Heredity in Four Dimensions". The reason is that the main theme of the book is how organisms inherit various traits; it is only indirectly about evolution.
But, having read the book, I understand a lot more about inheritance. I was always a bit perplexed by people saying that 95% of our genes are in common with apes, and so on. If so, why are we so different from them? Having read this book, it is clear that epigenetics is largely responsible. Another question that has always bugged me, is why birds of a species all have similar bird songs. This book, again, answers questions like this.
March 30, 2016
Jablonka is one of my favorite researchers of all time. Her papers and books opened my eyes to the world of epigenetics. She is a pioneer, who worked tirelessly to be heard, despite the horrible treatment she received from Elitist scientists, such as Richard Dawkins, whose own work is stuck in the dark ages of genetic research, while Jablonka's work remains on the cutting edge.
Jablonka is never included in John Brockman's Edge books. Yet, fossils like Dawkins are. It's shocking to me, considering the novel nature of Jablonka's work.
This and ever book and article she has written are worth reading. In each book or paper, Jablonka conducts and exhaustive survey of the occurrence of epigenetics in nature. Armed with myriad studies, Jablonka argues for an update of the "Modern Synthesis", which should be titled "The Not So Modern Synthesis."
A+
Jablonka is never included in John Brockman's Edge books. Yet, fossils like Dawkins are. It's shocking to me, considering the novel nature of Jablonka's work.
This and ever book and article she has written are worth reading. In each book or paper, Jablonka conducts and exhaustive survey of the occurrence of epigenetics in nature. Armed with myriad studies, Jablonka argues for an update of the "Modern Synthesis", which should be titled "The Not So Modern Synthesis."
A+
August 11, 2011
Jablonka and Lamb pull together many ideas about evolution to suggest that the Modern Synthesis prevalent since the 1930s is due for a reconceptualization. They argue that evolution involves not one but four kinds of inheritance systems: genetic, epigenetic, behavioral, and (in humans) symbolic. Epigenetic systems involve cellular variations appearing in the course of development, so that cells with the same DNA can develop in quite different directions. Since this information is preserved when cells divide, it can also be inherited in the reproduction of unicellular or asexually reproducing multicellular organisms. (Inheritance by sexually reproducing organisms is tricker but also possible.) Behavioral inheritance among organisms occurs through the transfer of behavior-influencing substances and through imitative and non-imitative learning. Human symbolic communication is an especially rich inheritance system, with features such as the capacity to share imagined behaviors never before tried. The genetic and non-genetic inheritance systems work together in evolution, with non-genetic changes often becoming genetically assimilated. For example, if a human population domesticates cows and starts relying on dairy products, genetic variations in the ability to digest lactose become relevant to natural selection, and so gene frequencies can change as a result of the change in customs. Jablonka and Lamb suggest that non-genetic changes often lead the way in animal evolution, with genetic changes playing catch-up.
Not only is this book a far cry from the simplistic genetic determinism that characterizes many popular discussions of evolution, but it is also a departure from 20th-century Darwinian orthodoxy. While genetic changes are usually blind to outcomes, the variations that are transmitted epigenetically, behaviorally or symbolically are often more targeted, arising in responses to signals from the environment. The environment plays the dual role of inducing as well as selecting variations, and the variations are more like educated guesses about what will work than random shots in the dark. The fact that these acquired innovations can be inherited (one way or another, though not by direct modifications of genes) means that evolution is partly Lamarckian after all, at least in a broad sense of the term.
Orthodox Darwinism has always been a philosophically puzzling doctrine. For a theory of change, it has placed a surprising amount of emphasis on the continuity of being, with change appearing as an accident that only occasionally happens to contribute to that continuity. For a theory of information, it has been surprisingly preoccupied with blind, completely uninformed variation. Jablonka and Lamb's understanding of evolution is both more dynamic and informationally richer. Inherited information is no longer confined to the genome, but can include information acquired and used in the course of development. Organisms participate in evolution not just as vehicles for the transmission of fixed information units (genes or their imagined cultural counterparts, memes, a notion J & L critique vigorously), but as active acquirers and interpreters of information. This is consistent with Stuart Kauffman's contention that life is even more complex and creative than biologists have realized.
The book is extremely well written and documented, so that the arguments are easy to follow by readers with a limited background in biology. Highly recommended for biologists and non-biologists alike.
Not only is this book a far cry from the simplistic genetic determinism that characterizes many popular discussions of evolution, but it is also a departure from 20th-century Darwinian orthodoxy. While genetic changes are usually blind to outcomes, the variations that are transmitted epigenetically, behaviorally or symbolically are often more targeted, arising in responses to signals from the environment. The environment plays the dual role of inducing as well as selecting variations, and the variations are more like educated guesses about what will work than random shots in the dark. The fact that these acquired innovations can be inherited (one way or another, though not by direct modifications of genes) means that evolution is partly Lamarckian after all, at least in a broad sense of the term.
Orthodox Darwinism has always been a philosophically puzzling doctrine. For a theory of change, it has placed a surprising amount of emphasis on the continuity of being, with change appearing as an accident that only occasionally happens to contribute to that continuity. For a theory of information, it has been surprisingly preoccupied with blind, completely uninformed variation. Jablonka and Lamb's understanding of evolution is both more dynamic and informationally richer. Inherited information is no longer confined to the genome, but can include information acquired and used in the course of development. Organisms participate in evolution not just as vehicles for the transmission of fixed information units (genes or their imagined cultural counterparts, memes, a notion J & L critique vigorously), but as active acquirers and interpreters of information. This is consistent with Stuart Kauffman's contention that life is even more complex and creative than biologists have realized.
The book is extremely well written and documented, so that the arguments are easy to follow by readers with a limited background in biology. Highly recommended for biologists and non-biologists alike.
September 12, 2010
I read this book slowly over several months, which only amplified the effect that I think it may have had anyway, which is that I so thoroughly integrated the whole paradigm it describes into my belief system that I no longer know what I learned from it. Besides being exquisitely explained and supported, the authors' attitudes are really what makes me swallow it up. Never do they hunker down and claim that everybody else is wrong and they are right, never do they dismiss counter-arguments, never are they unreasonable or dogmatic, even in pointing out the possible dogmatism of others. They merely present the results of years of research, summarize what they think it means and the effects it should have on evolutionary and biological thinking (or rather, the effects it has already had on theirs), and point out their disagreements with others, all without being a dick about it.
March 12, 2018
This is a beautiful and intellectually handsome work of evolutionary biology. Complex and clear, nuanced and down-to-earth, Jablonka and Lamb have written what can only be a benchmark text for anyone looking to get a handle on where the theory of evolution stands today. Dominated by decades of ‘gene-centric’ assumptions - i.e. that only information in the ‘gene’ gets passed down from generation to generation - J+L slowly and meticulously lay out the emerging science behind the discovery of other ‘dimensions' of heredity: not only the genetic, but also the ‘epigenetic, behavioural, and symbolic’ mechanisms of heritable variation. Hence, ‘evolution in four dimensions’. Laid out in the abstract like this, these words hardly convey the revolution in thought that such an idea implies, but, for anyone whose education in evolution was through say, the popular works of Richard Dawkins or Steven Pinker, J+L’s presentation will come off as nothing less than paradigm-breaking, in the best of possible ways.
Never polemical and always precise, E4D makes its case not through searing invective and party-room denunciation, but through the sheer and overwhelming force of evidence and conceptual clarity. Moving step-by-step through each of the dimensions chapter-by-chapter (before ‘putting humpty-dumpty back together again' in the third part of the book), the sheer breadth of topics and ideas covered here would be overwhelming if not for ease with which they are all discussed: from the mysteries of methylation to the origins of language, the quirks of birdsong and the coloured coats of rats, across all its scales is life traversed in a painted tapestry equal to its richness. Yet if it was only the admission of the extra-genetic dimensions of heredity at stake here, E4D would not be quite the bombshell work of biology that it really is. Over and beyond that emphasis however, is nothing less than the readmission of a neo-Larmarckist element into the theory of evolution: the idea that characteristics acquired in the life of the organism may in fact of evolutionarily relevance.
While it’s hard to overstate just how heretical the charge of Lamarckism has been in the history of science, it’s the clarion call for a re-worked Larmackism, one thoroughly compatible with the findings of modern biology, that really sets this book apart. Indeed, for L+J, a certain Larmarckism simply ‘falls out’ of the admission of extra-genetic pathways of inheritance, and it’s to their everlasting credit that they pursue these implications right to their ends. As they emphasise over and over again, once you admit just those extra-genetic dimensions into the theory of evolution, so too must one admit the significance of developmental changes (changes acquired in an organism’s lifetime) right into its ambit. And, as the cherry on top, so too must one admit certain and - importantly - naturally emergent mechanisms of ‘directedness' in the process of evolution (in other words, evolution isn’t just a ‘blind’ process!). Exactly how these conclusions are wrought is just what makes this book the exciting and fascinating read that it is, and frankly, no one interested in the natural history - and present - of life can afford to ignore the scientific jewel that is Evolution in Four Dimensions.
Never polemical and always precise, E4D makes its case not through searing invective and party-room denunciation, but through the sheer and overwhelming force of evidence and conceptual clarity. Moving step-by-step through each of the dimensions chapter-by-chapter (before ‘putting humpty-dumpty back together again' in the third part of the book), the sheer breadth of topics and ideas covered here would be overwhelming if not for ease with which they are all discussed: from the mysteries of methylation to the origins of language, the quirks of birdsong and the coloured coats of rats, across all its scales is life traversed in a painted tapestry equal to its richness. Yet if it was only the admission of the extra-genetic dimensions of heredity at stake here, E4D would not be quite the bombshell work of biology that it really is. Over and beyond that emphasis however, is nothing less than the readmission of a neo-Larmarckist element into the theory of evolution: the idea that characteristics acquired in the life of the organism may in fact of evolutionarily relevance.
While it’s hard to overstate just how heretical the charge of Lamarckism has been in the history of science, it’s the clarion call for a re-worked Larmackism, one thoroughly compatible with the findings of modern biology, that really sets this book apart. Indeed, for L+J, a certain Larmarckism simply ‘falls out’ of the admission of extra-genetic pathways of inheritance, and it’s to their everlasting credit that they pursue these implications right to their ends. As they emphasise over and over again, once you admit just those extra-genetic dimensions into the theory of evolution, so too must one admit the significance of developmental changes (changes acquired in an organism’s lifetime) right into its ambit. And, as the cherry on top, so too must one admit certain and - importantly - naturally emergent mechanisms of ‘directedness' in the process of evolution (in other words, evolution isn’t just a ‘blind’ process!). Exactly how these conclusions are wrought is just what makes this book the exciting and fascinating read that it is, and frankly, no one interested in the natural history - and present - of life can afford to ignore the scientific jewel that is Evolution in Four Dimensions.
November 23, 2009
I'm not a scientist, so I feel like I don't have the background to assess the validity of the points set out in this book. However, the authors seem to make a compelling case, in as ordinary language as possible, for why DNA is not the only feature involved in evolution.
The authors claim that epigenetic, behavioral and even symbolic variation has the capacity to influence heredity because they each have the power to favor the survival of certain genetic features. (I hope that makes sense.) Essentially, DNA ain't all there is, according to the authors, and evolution is not always due to random mutation. Sometimes mutations are favored by these other variants.
This book was lent to me by a molecular biologist who wanted my opinion. I'm not sure what I'll tell him other than "it all sounds plausible to a generalist like me."
It took me a long time to get through it. It's not heavy reading, as such, but it also requires a real commitment to learning to go deeper.
It's not at all an "intelligent design" book. It seems to be firmly grounded in Darwinian principles, while making some allowances for Lamarckian evolution via the Baldwin effect. (e.g. if a creature has the capacity to develop a useful characteristic more quickly and thus out-competes its rivals, these changes may be passed on to the offspring).
If I have misrepresented the science here, please correct me, but please remember I'm no specialist, I barely understood everything and I make no claims to being able to evaluate it critically. I gave it two stars because I thought it was "ok" It doesn't mean I would give it a "D" if I were grading it. It was interesting, but not what I'd call an entertaining read.
The authors claim that epigenetic, behavioral and even symbolic variation has the capacity to influence heredity because they each have the power to favor the survival of certain genetic features. (I hope that makes sense.) Essentially, DNA ain't all there is, according to the authors, and evolution is not always due to random mutation. Sometimes mutations are favored by these other variants.
This book was lent to me by a molecular biologist who wanted my opinion. I'm not sure what I'll tell him other than "it all sounds plausible to a generalist like me."
It took me a long time to get through it. It's not heavy reading, as such, but it also requires a real commitment to learning to go deeper.
It's not at all an "intelligent design" book. It seems to be firmly grounded in Darwinian principles, while making some allowances for Lamarckian evolution via the Baldwin effect. (e.g. if a creature has the capacity to develop a useful characteristic more quickly and thus out-competes its rivals, these changes may be passed on to the offspring).
If I have misrepresented the science here, please correct me, but please remember I'm no specialist, I barely understood everything and I make no claims to being able to evaluate it critically. I gave it two stars because I thought it was "ok" It doesn't mean I would give it a "D" if I were grading it. It was interesting, but not what I'd call an entertaining read.
August 1, 2018
This is really clear if you know a bit about what it’s talking about, and probably impossibly dense if you don’t. The illustrations are rather whimsical usually, rather than being useful (even for people who aren’t me and can make sense of things they’re looking at!), and there are “dialogues” at the end of each chapter which go over the previous points and basically play a bit of Devil’s advocate. They didn’t work for me because it was so artificial — obviously they wrote the dialogues entirely themselves, so it was just the questions they wanted to answer — but it might be helpful in clarifying some things for some readers.
There’s some new stuff since this revised edition came out, but it’s still a good primer on epigenetics and some of the other things that are significant when you discuss evolution (like culture). I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a layperson, but if you’re already interested, it’s a good one.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
There’s some new stuff since this revised edition came out, but it’s still a good primer on epigenetics and some of the other things that are significant when you discuss evolution (like culture). I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a layperson, but if you’re already interested, it’s a good one.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
May 3, 2013
I found that the chapters I had some background in were very readable. However, I often had to reread portions that discussed material that was brand new for me. This was made worthwhile by last two chapters, which brought all the material together. They did loose me a little when they suggested language was a heritable unit, but the discussion of the reigning hypotheses of the evolution of language was interesting. Despite this, I think that their overall theory holds together without language as a heritable unit. I believe we need to move on from the modern synthesis and this is a solid attempt at it. It is not the only attempt and perhaps not the easiest to digest, but I think it is a step in the right direction and a very enjoyable read.
July 8, 2022
Epigenetics and factors beyond the simple story of Mendel and Darwin. Gene networks and the molecular machinery in the Cell switch on and off what genes are expressed and allow for feedback from the environment on the development of the organism. It isn't such a one-way street between genetic inheritance and the life form in an environment. it can and does often flow the other way.
September 10, 2021
This was a great refutation of the selfish gene with explorations of biological, social and cultural experiments that I will be using all the time.
June 26, 2015
An excellent, comprehensive, very well-written volume on genetics, epigenetics, and a plethora of nature, nurture, and other influential causes to determining physical and behavioral evolution.
Jablonka and Lamb's writings are pithy and most insightful. For instance, here's an excerpt:
{"The belief that a person's character is 'written in the genes' is one of the reasons for the hysterical public reaction when cloning produced Dolly the sheep. That little lamb conjured up a strange mixture of feelings, because on the one hand, it seemed to offer the hope of personal immortality, yet on the other it looked as if our unique individual identity might be at risk. Both notions stem from the belief that the causal relation between genes and traits is simple and predictable - that identical sets of genes will inevitably produce identical phenotypes. Such beliefs are very mistaken, however, and potentially harmful."} Indeed, such beliefs, unsupported by irrefutable or sufficient evidence, border on superstition.
The authors' inclusion of a Symbolic dimension to evolution reflects a specialization of nurture, of culture, that surely does play a role in evolution, despite its non-physical and ever-changing or impermanent characteristics. Here, the authors bring in an essential dimension into human development that could be said to extend a bridge, however tenuous, to those claiming a strong role of design in humanity's progress.
The illustrations, while entertaining and intricate, sometimes distract from gravity in the writing. The authors' debates (between imaginary proponents and detractors) on many of their arguments, included to assist comprehension, reflect the Talmudic tradition, and are interesting, but not always wholesome and compelling.
All in all, a book well worth the time for anyone desirous of advanced education in the field of evolution and its aspects not yet comprehended...for instance, new codes or nucleobases adding to the set of {C, G, A, T} that are compatible with, and add to, natural helixes.
Jablonka and Lamb's writings are pithy and most insightful. For instance, here's an excerpt:
{"The belief that a person's character is 'written in the genes' is one of the reasons for the hysterical public reaction when cloning produced Dolly the sheep. That little lamb conjured up a strange mixture of feelings, because on the one hand, it seemed to offer the hope of personal immortality, yet on the other it looked as if our unique individual identity might be at risk. Both notions stem from the belief that the causal relation between genes and traits is simple and predictable - that identical sets of genes will inevitably produce identical phenotypes. Such beliefs are very mistaken, however, and potentially harmful."} Indeed, such beliefs, unsupported by irrefutable or sufficient evidence, border on superstition.
The authors' inclusion of a Symbolic dimension to evolution reflects a specialization of nurture, of culture, that surely does play a role in evolution, despite its non-physical and ever-changing or impermanent characteristics. Here, the authors bring in an essential dimension into human development that could be said to extend a bridge, however tenuous, to those claiming a strong role of design in humanity's progress.
The illustrations, while entertaining and intricate, sometimes distract from gravity in the writing. The authors' debates (between imaginary proponents and detractors) on many of their arguments, included to assist comprehension, reflect the Talmudic tradition, and are interesting, but not always wholesome and compelling.
All in all, a book well worth the time for anyone desirous of advanced education in the field of evolution and its aspects not yet comprehended...for instance, new codes or nucleobases adding to the set of {C, G, A, T} that are compatible with, and add to, natural helixes.
March 20, 2020
Important, boring, exciting, thought-provoking, annoying, difficult and inspirational.
April 19, 2018
English / Español
The authors of this book bring up a really interesting idea, that could change tha shape of the main paradigm in biology: Evolution is not only about genes. They bring a compelling argument to include epigenetic, behavioral and symbolic aspects of heritability into a new model of evolution.
It's an amazing book, plus they add a really fun, but also thought provoking fake dialogue with an imaginary person, that attacks every argument they say. I recommend this book to anyone that has a background in biological sciences.
________________
Español
Las autoras de este libro presentan una idea bastante interesante, que puede ayudar a modificar la estructura del principal paradigma de la biología: La evolución no está sólo en los genes. Ellas presentan un buen argumento para incluir rasgos epigenéticos, conductuales y simbólicos al campo de la heredabilidad, y presentan un nuevo modelo para entender la evolución.
Es un libro increíble. Además, ellas añaden un diálogo ficticio muy divertido, pero que también lleva a la reflexión, donde atacan los puntos claves de su argumento. Recomiendo este libro para aquellos que tienen una preparación en ciencias biológicas.
The authors of this book bring up a really interesting idea, that could change tha shape of the main paradigm in biology: Evolution is not only about genes. They bring a compelling argument to include epigenetic, behavioral and symbolic aspects of heritability into a new model of evolution.
It's an amazing book, plus they add a really fun, but also thought provoking fake dialogue with an imaginary person, that attacks every argument they say. I recommend this book to anyone that has a background in biological sciences.
________________
Español
Las autoras de este libro presentan una idea bastante interesante, que puede ayudar a modificar la estructura del principal paradigma de la biología: La evolución no está sólo en los genes. Ellas presentan un buen argumento para incluir rasgos epigenéticos, conductuales y simbólicos al campo de la heredabilidad, y presentan un nuevo modelo para entender la evolución.
Es un libro increíble. Además, ellas añaden un diálogo ficticio muy divertido, pero que también lleva a la reflexión, donde atacan los puntos claves de su argumento. Recomiendo este libro para aquellos que tienen una preparación en ciencias biológicas.
May 13, 2017
I was a little worried that a book 10+ years old would be dated in a field that moves this quickly, but I found this quite useful. Though not as cutting edge on epigenetics, it covers its subjects much more thoroughly than the other pop science books I've read on the subject.
I seem to be in the minority here, but I found the book's illustrations to be downright strange. Instead of illuminating the concepts, I often had to look at them for a second to figure out what they were supposed to explain. Some of the choices are just odd: for example, the drawing that's meant to show evolutionary selection via differently-shaped umbrellas, but most of the drawing is giant naked babies.
I seem to be in the minority here, but I found the book's illustrations to be downright strange. Instead of illuminating the concepts, I often had to look at them for a second to figure out what they were supposed to explain. Some of the choices are just odd: for example, the drawing that's meant to show evolutionary selection via differently-shaped umbrellas, but most of the drawing is giant naked babies.
September 22, 2011
A very good and enjoyable book about evolution. This book is in a similar vein as 'Evolutionary development biology', where the gene centered view we all know and love thanks to Dawkings is critically evaluated. The authors skillfully lay their theories using interesting examples, critical dialogues and very funny and nicely drawn cartoons.
June 24, 2017
Hm. I liked the discussion of the interplay of these different mechanisms, particularly the epigenetics. The authors feel their ideas are pretty radical, but they don't seem so entirely far out to me. However, I do think they get hung up (and devoted to) certain terms in a way that confuses the issue.
March 23, 2018
Readable, and scaleable: discussions at the end of each chapter have interesting bits but can be skipped as needed. Generally detail poor, but good summary of big picture arguments. My favorite segment (chapter 7) has a helpful summary describing cases of epigenetic and genetic crosstalk.
April 21, 2020
The best science book that I have ever read, both in the content and the way the book is laid out. I really appreciate the authors' attitude of balance when assessing the scientific arguments, and not once do they dismiss counterarguments of fully discredit them. Instead of trying to purely dismantle and disprove the theories of others, they instead focus on finding the connections and elements of truth compatible with their view. It's very refreshing.
They have a very logical but also expansive/diverse approach to their theory of Evolution, which brings together many genetic, epigenetic, social, psychological and cultural factors which are not normally breached simultanesouly in my previous reading on the topic. It greatly enriched my view of Evolution, and is not only relevent to our primordial origins, but to the culutral evolution taking place constantly in the present.
They wonder into 'Lamarckian' waters - and again - I found it refreshing how they look at the topic in a very logical and unbiased way, as there is too much controversy around the term. To me, the author's represent what true scientists should be: always open-minded. While certain previous theories may have been discarded, it does not mean that they cannot be relevant or have insights of truth in the light of new discovery. The authors really emphasise this outlook through the book, and therefore I think that this book is not just excellent in the points that they are putting forward, but their scientific approach.
I do have decent background knowledge in genetics and epigenetics, so while I could navigate the more technical passages, I do think that it would more difficult reading experience with no background knowledge. However, the whole book it very cohesive and still flows together without the nitty gritty technicalites, so I would recomend this to anyone interested in the subject!
They have a very logical but also expansive/diverse approach to their theory of Evolution, which brings together many genetic, epigenetic, social, psychological and cultural factors which are not normally breached simultanesouly in my previous reading on the topic. It greatly enriched my view of Evolution, and is not only relevent to our primordial origins, but to the culutral evolution taking place constantly in the present.
They wonder into 'Lamarckian' waters - and again - I found it refreshing how they look at the topic in a very logical and unbiased way, as there is too much controversy around the term. To me, the author's represent what true scientists should be: always open-minded. While certain previous theories may have been discarded, it does not mean that they cannot be relevant or have insights of truth in the light of new discovery. The authors really emphasise this outlook through the book, and therefore I think that this book is not just excellent in the points that they are putting forward, but their scientific approach.
I do have decent background knowledge in genetics and epigenetics, so while I could navigate the more technical passages, I do think that it would more difficult reading experience with no background knowledge. However, the whole book it very cohesive and still flows together without the nitty gritty technicalites, so I would recomend this to anyone interested in the subject!
November 20, 2023
While sometimes a trifle full of itself, this book does help shore up the case that it is time to move beyond the modern synthesis in the philosophy of biological evolution. The ideosyncratic diagrams and illustrations add savor, after you get used to the artist's style and syntax.
One illustrative example may serve to make my point clear. The discussion of epigenetic factors spins out an elaborate thought experiment about a world where epigenetic factors are the only mode of evolution. Lots of things about this experiment are not pointed out such as how unstable such a condition would be. That lack weakens the discussion a little, but also misses, or, rather, underemphasizes, the point that epigenetic factors are only meaningful in a context where they are in interplay with genetic factors, and that necessarily some dynamic balance between their modes and spheres of influence is where the drama of life plays out.
In short, this book tries to bridge the insider's need to call for reform within the paradigms of biological science, and the popularizer's need to bring these issues to the attention of lay readership. The mix is not always successful, but the industrious reader will be rewarded.
One illustrative example may serve to make my point clear. The discussion of epigenetic factors spins out an elaborate thought experiment about a world where epigenetic factors are the only mode of evolution. Lots of things about this experiment are not pointed out such as how unstable such a condition would be. That lack weakens the discussion a little, but also misses, or, rather, underemphasizes, the point that epigenetic factors are only meaningful in a context where they are in interplay with genetic factors, and that necessarily some dynamic balance between their modes and spheres of influence is where the drama of life plays out.
In short, this book tries to bridge the insider's need to call for reform within the paradigms of biological science, and the popularizer's need to bring these issues to the attention of lay readership. The mix is not always successful, but the industrious reader will be rewarded.
June 15, 2023
This is a book that has expanded my knowledge of a field I’ve always found interesting. I now know that evolution isn’t the relatively simple process I learned about years ago in school. I had thought evolution occurred because of random gene mutations, mostly deleterious, but occasionally beneficial, allowing plants and animals with these advantageous mutations to pass on traits that allowed their descendants to thrive. The information provided by Jablonka expanded my views of how traits are inherited. It has helped me understand health and medicine in a new way. Epigenetic variation was especially enlightening.
I did not read every word. There was too much detail on some subjects. In addition, the book was repetitious, and covered too many topics, including sociology, psychology, agriculture, the development of language, and philosophy, among other things. The authors admit that some of their beliefs lack firm proof, and certainly not everything they contend is convincing.
The revised edition of this book was published almost 10 years ago. I’m looking forward to exploring what advances have occurred in the last decade.
I did not read every word. There was too much detail on some subjects. In addition, the book was repetitious, and covered too many topics, including sociology, psychology, agriculture, the development of language, and philosophy, among other things. The authors admit that some of their beliefs lack firm proof, and certainly not everything they contend is convincing.
The revised edition of this book was published almost 10 years ago. I’m looking forward to exploring what advances have occurred in the last decade.
January 4, 2023
I'm very meh about this book. The authors are trying to have it every way at once. Biology, as presented here, is so broken that it's rolled over into business writing territory where "X is everything!"
"Marketing is everything!", "Sales is everything!", "Management is everything!" and finally announced by Jablonka and Lamb: "inheritance is everything!" Not serious.
Minor points: the authors make some weird point about people being brainwashed today into consuming milk, despite historically having had milk? Makes zero sense. See Jablonka's lecture from when Trump was inaugurated if you want to know why this was said.... not hard to figure out.
There's also reference to Chomsky's long-refuted universal grammar nonsense, which also speaks to the political influence behind this book. On this point: see CR Hallpike's relevant works.
"Marketing is everything!", "Sales is everything!", "Management is everything!" and finally announced by Jablonka and Lamb: "inheritance is everything!" Not serious.
Minor points: the authors make some weird point about people being brainwashed today into consuming milk, despite historically having had milk? Makes zero sense. See Jablonka's lecture from when Trump was inaugurated if you want to know why this was said.... not hard to figure out.
There's also reference to Chomsky's long-refuted universal grammar nonsense, which also speaks to the political influence behind this book. On this point: see CR Hallpike's relevant works.
November 10, 2022
3.5⭐
Super exciting topic, but not an easy reading, at times repetitive and too technical. This book isn't intended for your average lay person. This may be because I didn't follow the authors' advice and read the whole chapter which was the most technical.
At times it felt repetitive, which wasn't too bad because I needed a refresher with simpler words on what I had just read. Still after having said all of the above, I learned quite a lot and I loved the dialogue style at the end of each chapter which made things much clearer and was a good wrap up before the next chapter.
I'm sure there are easier books on the topic, but still wouldn't say it's a bad book, I just didn't feel in its target audience.
Super exciting topic, but not an easy reading, at times repetitive and too technical. This book isn't intended for your average lay person. This may be because I didn't follow the authors' advice and read the whole chapter which was the most technical.
At times it felt repetitive, which wasn't too bad because I needed a refresher with simpler words on what I had just read. Still after having said all of the above, I learned quite a lot and I loved the dialogue style at the end of each chapter which made things much clearer and was a good wrap up before the next chapter.
I'm sure there are easier books on the topic, but still wouldn't say it's a bad book, I just didn't feel in its target audience.
December 31, 2019
This book is really great as it is advancing the synthesis of evolutionary theory and it is quite decent in overlaying all the concepts, analogues, and evidences needed to make their points. They even have a special section for the skeptics, resulting from routine dialogues and FAQs.
Content aside, the way they presented their arguments is still a bit heavy and academic, and this is coming from me who pursued a Master degree in Science by the time I finished the book. Probably because English is not my first language and I am not that smart LOL but reading this book made me want to annotate its margins with my simple interpretation of the arguments.
Content aside, the way they presented their arguments is still a bit heavy and academic, and this is coming from me who pursued a Master degree in Science by the time I finished the book. Probably because English is not my first language and I am not that smart LOL but reading this book made me want to annotate its margins with my simple interpretation of the arguments.
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October 10, 2020
Here is a work that integrates the varied pathways by which evolution shapes human life. Sharply and accurately focused, and giving much scientific detail, it is especially valuable in offering insights into the tenacious persistence of social ills such as racism and sectarianism. A must-read - if one is willing to do the vital work.
September 15, 2021
I was always fascinated by evolution and as a researcher I work on evolutionary algorithms. I learned a lot about evolution in general. I knew that culture and environment plays a vital role in evolution but not in detail. This book was a holy grail for me to understand behavioral and symbolic variation for evolution of intelligent creatures.
January 7, 2020
Evrimi genetik, epigenetik, davranışsal ve simgesel boyutları ile ele almış. Kitap boyunca bütün bu boyutları ve birbirleri ile ilişkileri ile evrimi açıklarken sadece gen temelli olan yaklaşımı’da eleştiriyor.Evrim için çok daha temel okumalardan sonra(!) kesinlikle tavsiye ederim.
June 2, 2021
Muy buenas teorías que seguro van a ser respaldadas por nuevos datos en el futuro porque por ahora está todo bastante flojo de papeles. Los dibujos son feos. Muy bueno que hayan diálogos como para hacer de abogados del diablo.
July 15, 2019
Opened my eyes on the role of epigenetics and cultural inheritance in evolution.
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